The value of ethical garments: why should we wear natural indigo jeans?

by Magdalena Annese

There are so many types of jeans these days. However, only a few are produced in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. One of them are natural indigo jeans, usually selvedge or raw denim. They use a natural dyeing process and represent the importance of an ethical garment. 

Old organic dyeing technique for cotton yarns

Indigo dye has been used for thousands of years to coloured mainly denim clothes. Specifically since 2000 BC, found in mummies tombs in Egypt.

It is an organic dyeing process that use a blue compound extracted from a plant called Indigofera. Despite this, there are other plant varieties that have provided indigo throughout history. One unusual fact about indigo from other dyes, is that is extracted from the leaves through a detailed process. The harvest and creation of this ancient dye is expensive and slow which determines that it was highly prized.

Natural indigo blue to dye yarns. CC BY Milele

In addition, it is a natural and sustainable process derived from plants so it does not contain petrochemicals or yields toxic waste. In this way, the products create by this technique are bio-degradable and non-toxic.

Revival of natural indigo dyed denim thanks to commitment brands

Despides that, the majority of indigo dyes used today are synthetic, very harmful to the environment because derived  from chemicals. On average, a pair of blue jean trousers requires 3–12 g of indigo, so which as expected the use of synthetic indigo is much cheaper and requires a faster and more reliable production process.

Hopefully, there are some exclusive denim brands like Ironheart continues to employ natural indigo to satisfied devotes of well made things. The indigo dyeing process, in which the core of the warp threads remains white, creates denim's signature fading characteristics.

Thunders Love socks and natural indigo dyed denim

As a committed brand to the environment, Thunders Love can only recommend combining our socks with ethical garments that follows our values. So you know, choose an outfit that is incredible but also sustainable.